July 22 Weekly News Brief

With funding from the Knight Foundation, we've installed a fifth bike rack -- this one near a bus stop in the Northwood Estates neighborhood on Beatties Ford Road! Last fall, we reached out to five neighborhoods who had identified a need for more transportation options in their Sustainable Vision Plans that we helped them create. We then worked with them to determine the best location for a bike rack in their area. Thanks to Northwood Estates neighborhood leader Ronald Ross (pictured below) for providing the leadership to make this happen!

On Tuesday, July 14, we joined Charlotte area residents, business leaders, and public officials in celebrating the opening of the first 1.5 miles of the CityLYNX Gold Line! Former mayor and current U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx gave an inspiring speech, and spoke about how "the project would spark economic development and...could help close racial and economic divisions in the city", according to The Charlotte Observer. As quoted in the Charlotte Business Journal, "Foxx called the streetcar 'the beginning of a resurgence' and urged Charlotte elected officials to make our transit plan a reality." (Read more here.) We are proud of the City of Charlotte for taking this step toward fulfillment of the 2030 Transit Plan and hope to see continued investment in transit in our region.

US Transportation Secretary Foxx and Charlotte Mayor Clodfelter cut the ribbon to launch the Gold Line last Tuesday. Photo: Charlotte Business Journal

We are happy to give a warm welcome to our newest members: Jo Harashima, Stephen Stansbery, and Kim Brown! We sincerely appreciate their support of our mission and your community through their membership.

Local residents like you play a critical role in ensuring we have the resources to carry out our work in the community to inspire choices that lead to a to a healthier and more vibrant community for generations to come! Help us do more by becoming a Sustain Charlotte member today for as little as $3/month -- that's one cup of coffee! Click to learn how easily you can support our mission and your community via membership:

The Charlotte Department of Transportation Launches Its Pilot Parklet Program

The Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) has launched its Pilot Parklet Program “in response to recent requests by Charlotte residents to establish Parklets" according to the city's website. CDOT will evaluate the pilot program over the next year and decide whether to make it permanent in 2016. To learn more, check out "What's a parklet? Everything you need to know about Charlotte's new miniature parks", and download the Pilot Parklet Program manual for details on how to build your own here. We are so excited to see CDOT embracing this innovative way to help businesses and neighborhoods shape the character of their streets! This is a great way to improve the public realm of our city, making it more inviting and interesting to residents and visitors alike.

Planned Mixed-Use Development Project to Bring Retail and Public Space to Uptown

Charlotte Agenda calls Tryon Place, a planned mixed-use development by Crescent Communities, "Uptown Charlotte's most transformative project" due to the ground floor being dedicated to public space. "Plazas, courtyards and greenspace will line the property creating space where people can mingle...Public art will be sprinkled throughout the plazas and there have even been talks of a beer garden in one of the retail spaces. Crescent also hopes to have art studios occupy some of the retail spaces." We are encouraged by Crescent's focus on the pedestrian realm, and hope to see more mixed-use, people-friendly developments like this in the Charlotte area. The more mixed-use developments we have that focus on the public realm the more our city and region will develop into one that is attractive, vibrant and healthy for generations to come!

City Bans Cars for a Month, Doesn't Collapse into Chaos

This October, the EcoMobility World Festival, will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, transforming Sandton Central Business District into a car-free environment for one month. In 2013, this festival was a success in Suwon, South Korea, where "around 4,300 residents in the neighborhood adopted an ecomobile lifestyle to experience how traveling through integrated, socially inclusive, and healthy transport options can positively change their routines. The residents used a variety of vehicles such as bicycles, trailers for carrying children and goods, tandem bicycles, recumbent bikes, pedelecs (electric assisted bicycles) and velo-taxis." In this article from Mother Nature Network, the question is asked, "could this happen in North America?". If our nation's cities continue to invest in transit, biking and walking, thereby reducing reliance on the automobile, this will surely help to open our minds to carless neighborhoods in the future. Let's lead the way, Charlotte!

Sustain Charlotte is currently hosting three student interns over the summer. Jamie Barry is from the Myers Park neighborhood in Charlotte and currently attending Duke University. Although still in the process of choosing a major, he is strongly considering a major in environmental science or chemistry.

How will your internship with Sustain Charlotte help you develop professionally?

While I am still in the process of determining my career path, I recognize that sustainability underlies every action that the community takes, both in the public and private sectors. I will take what I learn from my internship at Sustain Charlotte and apply it to my future career, ensuring that I, as well as others around me, always have sustainability in mind.

What project(s) are you working on for your internship?

I am currently updating data for Sustain Charlotte's forthcoming 2016 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sustainability Report Card as well as assisting with other outreach events and transportation initiatives.

What's the most unexpected or inspiring thing you've learned so far during your internship?

I have learned that while some sustainable choices may have higher upfront costs, in time the savings will exceed those costs, and taking the long view is essential to our community's health. Having the tenacity and determination to inform the community about these issues and promote positive change is also critical to Charlotte's future.

MANY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

Is your company interested in becoming a Sustain Charlotte partner? Our generous partners play a critical role in supporting our work. Through our corporate membership program, we provide year-round brand exposure, positive publicity, and business development opportunities to those businesses and nonprofits that are helping make our community more sustainable through their products, services, or commitment to move their organization towards greater sustainability. Become a partner today!